Thermally conductive aqueous transfix blanket

Abstract

An intermediate transfer member containing a thermally conductive nanofiller dispersed in a polymer base, a method of forming the intermediate transfer member, and a method of printing an image to a substrate using the intermediate transfer member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An intermediate transfer member comprising a composition comprising a thermally conductive nanofiller dispersed in a polymer base, wherein the polymer base has a surface tension of from 18 to 40 mN/m, wherein the nanofiller is present in the polymer base in an amount of from 0.5 to 30 wt % based on a total weight of the composition, wherein the nanofiller is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Au, Ag, Pt, Cu, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon, copper oxide, zirconium oxide, carbon black, graphite, graphene, diamond and mixtures thereof, further wherein the intermediate transfer member has a thermal conductivity of from 0.05 to 0.5 W·m −1 ·K −1 . 
     
     
       2. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiller has an average particle diameter of from 50 nm to 5 μm. 
     
     
       3. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiller is a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Au, Ag, Pt, and Cu. 
     
     
       4. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiller is an inorganic/ceramic nanofiller selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon, copper oxide, and zirconium oxide. 
     
     
       5. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiller is an organic conductive nanofiller selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite, graphene, and diamond. 
     
     
       6. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiller has a thermal conductivity of from 10 to 2300 W·m −1 ·K −1 . 
     
     
       7. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer base is selected from the group consisting of silicones, fluoropolymers, and specialty fluorinated materials. 
     
     
       8. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer base has a surface tension of from 18 to 40 mN/m. 
     
     
       9. A printing apparatus comprising the intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 7 , wherein the polymer base comprises silicones. 
     
     
       11. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 10 , wherein the silicones is selected from the group consisting of polydimethylsilioxane, fluorosilicones, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       12. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiller comprises carbon black. 
     
     
       13. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 12 , wherein the carbon black has an average particle size of 400 to 600 nm. 
     
     
       14. The intermediate transfer member of  claim 3 , wherein the nanofiller comprises a metal nanofiller selected from the group consisting of Ni, Au, Ag and Pt. 
     
     
       15. A method of making an intermediate transfer member, the method comprising:
 providing a composition comprising a dispersion of a thermally conductive nanofiller in a polymer base, wherein the polymer base has a surface tension of from 18 to 40 mN/m, wherein the nanofiller is present in the polymer base in an amount of from 0.5 to 30 wt % based on a total weight of the composition, wherein the nanofiller is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Au, Ag, Pt, Cu, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon, copper oxide, zirconium oxide, carbon black, graphite, graphene, diamond and mixtures thereof, further wherein the intermediate transfer member has a thermal conductivity of from 0.05 to 0.5 W·m −1 ·K −1 ; 
 coating a support with the composition; and 
 curing the coating to form the intermediate transfer member. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the nanofiller is selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides, organic conductive nanofillers, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises a silicon, a fluoropolymer, a specialty fluorinated material, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       18. A method of printing an image to a substrate comprising:
 applying an inkjet ink onto an intermediate transfer member using an inkjet printhead; 
 spreading the ink onto the intermediate transfer member; 
 inducing a property change of the ink; and 
 transferring the ink to the substrate, 
 wherein the intermediate transfer member comprises a thermally conductive nanofiller dispersed in a polymer base, wherein the polymer base has a surface tension of from 18 to 40 mN/m, wherein the nanofiller is present in the polymer base in an amount of from 0.5 to 30 wt % based on a total weight of the composition, further wherein the intermediate transfer member has a thermal conductivity of from 0.05 to 0.5 W·m −1 ·K −1 .